BfiAffl 


i;l  wf  i  A.  IK 


LsL*:  •*••-•  Jr 

msL 


U"*y  .tt'  '     "<j^    '  »f  £5ge  •  "  —  •  ~'^|t' 

|i         '^^  ^ 

m^^im^ 

^L/gM?*2'  -•"* 
^*A';;^^ 

SSr^,  ;,,/  UVW  -^^.^  **  4 £F f  *£  f  '  ^* 

^>M.;^^fe^«gM| 

S*§r£"  ^» 


ji-~ 


^  .it 


i««-—  ^^aL    "^^^^  i   * 


~^L>>- 

l-ri 
Wi»f  /^ 


AMELIA  SHERWOOD 


OR, 


BLOODY   SCENES 

AT    THE 

CALIFOBIIA  GOLD  MINES! 


(Amelia  attired  for  the  Expedition  across  the  Sierra  Nevada.—  Sec  p.  SO.J 
WITH 

A  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  TRAGIC  INCIDENTS  ON 


to    nn  /rnnristo. 


RICHMOND: 

PUBLISHED    BY   BARCLAY   &    CO. 

•* 

1850. 


The  Pirates  Boarding  the  Hindoo,  after  the  blowing  up  of  their  own  ship.— See  p.  23 


Dtipertte  conflict  and  capture  of  th«  Hindoo  by  the  crew  of  the  Cruiser.-See  p.  23, 


Fatal  Encounter  between  the  Texan  Trapper  and  an  English  Marine.— See  p.  25. 


ralleled  Heroism  of  Amelia— she  rushes  between  the  combatants  in  their  quarrel  about 
the  Gold.— See  p.  26. 


AMELIA  SHERWOOD : 

OR,  , 

BLOODY  SCENES 

AT   THE 

CALIFOKNIA  GOLD  MINES* 


^Amelia  attired  for  the  Expedition  across  the  Sierra  Nevada,—  Sw  p.  M.J 
WITH 

A  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  TRAGIC  INCIDENTS  ON 

to    ati 


RICHMOND: 

PUBLISHED   BY  BARCLAY  &   CO. 

1850. 
O  Vsl    \C^  v^  VVOT  H^LJ 


CONTENTS. 


I.  The  Sherwood  Family— a  Separation— a  Catastrophe,         .  5 

II.  Off  for  California — Perfidy  of  a  Friend — Denouement,     ,         .  8 

III.  Storm  at  Sea— Tragic  Scene— the  Heroine  in  Trouble,        '.     •    .     12 

IV.  Amelia's  Lover  at  New  Orleans— Despondency— Traveling  Party,     15 
V.  Amelia's  Recovery— "  Look   out  for  Squalls  "—Pirates  in  the 

Pacific, 18 

VI.  Bloody  Conflict — Pirate  Ship  blown  up — the  Hindoo  Captured — 
Amelia  Shoots  the  Captain  of  the  Cruiser,  and  Saves  the  Life 

of  Her  Friend, .20 

VII.  San  Francisco — Tragic  Scenes  at  the  Mines — Fatal  Encounter — 
Quarrels  about  the   Gold — Heroic  Conduct  of  Amelia — She 
Prevents  Bloodshed  at  the  Peril  of  Her  Life,       ...         23 
VIII.  Attack  on  a  Rancho  by  a  Gang  of  Burglars — Timely  Arrival  of 
the  Trapper — Frank  Richards  Discovered  to  be  the  Gallant 
Texan — Congratulations — Explanations — Union  of  the  Lovers,     26 
IX.  Amelia  Prepares  for  an  Expedition — Awful  Privations  of  an 

Emigrant  Party — Conclusion,        ......  20 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18JD.  by 
C.  W.  &  G.  E.  KEN  WORTHY, 

la  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Soutlient 
District  of  New  York. 


"-4-6  B 
Bancroft  Library 


tfnrgir 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    SHERWOOD    FAMILY — A    SEPARATION A    CATASTROPHE. 

A  QUARTER  of  a  mile  off  the  post-road  to  Saratoga,  and  scarcely 
halfway  up  the  hill  which  overlooks  flie  town  of  C ,  in  Wash 
ington  county.  New  York,  the  attention  of  the  traveler  is  attracted 
to  a  handsome  two-story  frame  house,  indicating  from  its  surround 
ing  conveniences  the  residence  of  one  well  to  do  in  the  world.  It 
is  the  homestead  of  William  Sherwood,  owner  of  the  grist-mill  in 
the  hollow,  the  merry  click-clack  of  which  tells  of  its  proximity  5 
as  the  stage  rumbles  along  on  its  daily  errand.  Of  the  Sherwood 
family  there  were  only  the  father,  two  sons,  and  one  daughter 
alive. 

Amelia  was  the  name  of  the  only  daughter*  Her  mother  died 
when  she  had  just  turned  her  seventh  year,  before  which  Mrs* 
Sherwood  had  improved  her  mind  by  instilling  into  the  heart  of 
her  daughter  such  instruction  as  would  qualify  her  for  the  duties 
which  she  thought  would  at  some  future  day  devolve  upon  her* 
It  is  well  that  we  cannot  penetrate  the  future,  and  read  in  chap 
ters  of  the  time  to  come  what  shall  befal  us.  Had  the  Sher- 
woods  known  to  what  trials  and  sufferings  their  beloved  daughter 
was  to  be  subjected,  they  had  perhaps  been  tempted  to  question* 
tiie  dealings  of  Providence — although,  to  a  mind  gifted  with  more 
searching  inquiry,  the  link  between  cause  and  effect  would  have 
r.'adily  been  discovered.  However,  under  the  tuition  of  such  a 


TBAGIC    SCENES. 


father  as  Mr.  Sherwood,  the  sons  were  deeply  imbued  with  gene 
rous  and  manly  sentiments,  and  their  sister  was  esteemed  by  them 
as  a  priceless  jewel.  But  all  this  had  a  sinister  influence  on  th~ 
object  of  their  affection :  for,  though  well-educated,  the  controll 
ing  and  directing  influence  of  her  mother  being  removed,  she. 
gradually  came  to  look  on  a  respect  equal  to  that  fraternally  be 
stowed  as  due  to  her  by  every  one  else  ;  and  so  covert  was  the 
development  of  this  feeling,  that  ere  she  herself  was  well  aware 
of  its  presence,  it  had  already  fixed  itself  deep  in  her  bosom.  In 
course  of  time,  this  produced  its  appropriate  fruits — not  the  lea.nl 
injurious  of  which  was,  an  impetuous  self-will  and  waywardness, 
at  all  times  unbecoming,  especially  in  a  female. 

These  traits  were  first  brought  to  the  direct  knowledge  of  the 
family  in  connection  with  Frank  Richards,  the  son  of  the  inn 
keeper  at ,  between  whom  and  Amelia  a  close  intimacy  had 

existed  for  several  months  previous.  Frank  was  of  an  ardent 
temperament,  but  withal  lacked  perseverance  enough  to  surmount 
the  difficulties  and  obstacles  that  might  naturally  be  expected  to 
present  themselves.  And  then  his  father  was  in  comfortable  cir 
cumstances,  and  did  not  exert  that  authority  over  him  in  his  early 
years  which  doubtless  would  have  been  of  so  much  advantage  to 
him  in  after-life.  The  friendship  mutually  entertained  by  Amelia 
and  Frank,  was  therefore  displeasing  to  Mr.  Sherwood  arid  hi* 
sons.  They  attempted  to  persuade,  to  reason ;  and  when  these 
means  failed  to  accomplish  the  desired  end,  restraint  was  attempted, 
but  with  no  happier  success ;  for  now  Amelia  insisted  on  being 
released  from  their  entreaties,  as  her  mind  was  made  up  on  the 
subject. 

Matters  continued  thus  for  a  while,  until  at  length  Frank's 
father,  had  resolved  to  send  him  to  New  Orleans,  to  enter  on  a 
situation  as  book-keeper  to  a  mercantile  firm,  with  a  prospect  of 
being  soon  placed  in  a  position  to  commence  on  his  own  account. 
This  was  readily  enough  acceded  to  by  Frank,  especially  as  by 
the  change  he  should  again  enjoy  the  company  of  a  young  rela 
tive  who  had  gone  there  some  time  before.  There  was  but  one 
drawback,  and  that  was,  he  would  thus  be  obliged  to  leave  his 
Amelia.  She,  however,  saw  no  difficulty  in  the  matter;  hev 
father  would,  no  doubt,  be  pleased  to  hear  of  the  proposal  to  son  1 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  7 

him  to  a  distance;  but  if  Frank  consented  to  go  to  New  Orleans, 
she  would  soon  follow  him.  This  assurance  on  her  part  reconcile'! 
him  to  the  proposal.  A  week  or  two  elapsed,  and  after  pledging 
eternal  fidelity  to  each  other,  they  separated  for  a  time.  Previous 
to  his  departure,  Frank  introduced  an  intimate  friend  and  confi 
dant  of  his  to  Amelia,  and  arranged  that  he  would  write  to  her 
under  cover  to  his  friend. 

Peter  Mossman  was  three  years  the  senior  of  Frank,  was  en 
gaging  and  affable  in  his  manners  and  conversation,  and  front 
having  been  two  or  three  trips  to  Havana  with  his  uncle,  who 
owned  a  brig  hailing  from  New  York,  he  could  render  himself 
agreeable  by  introducing  his  experience  of  most  matters  within 
the  scope  of  ordinary  conversation.  Frank  had  over-estimated 
the  friendship  of  his  companion,  who  very  soon  schemed  to  sup 
plant  him  in  the  affections  of  Miss  Sherwood — while  under  the 
pretence  of  friendship,  Mossman  used  every  endeavor  to  set  him 
self  in  the  most  favorable  light  with  Amelia.  This  was  no  easv 
task,  for  she  truly  loved  young  Richards,  and  was  confident  that 
she  was  sincerely  loved  in  return. 

We  cannot  afford  space  to  detail  all  that  occurred  between 
Amelia  and  Frank,  as  represented,  or  rather  misrepresented  by 
Mossman.  Amelia  would  not  listen  to  doubts  or  cautious  insinua 
tions  about  the  constancy  of  her  lover ;  neither  did  she  perceive 
the  motive  that  prompted  the  deceit.  If  coldness  was  made  ap 
parent,  she  accounted  for  it  by  hurry  of  business ;  or  if  neglect 
was  made  to  appear,  she  set  it  down  as  done  to  try  her  constancy. 
Matters  continued  in  this  condition  for  some  time  longer,  and  the 
only  effect  produced  was  a  very  visible  change  observed  in  the  ap 
pearance  of  his  daughter,  by  Mr.  Sherwood  and  his  sons.  They 
attempted  to  ascertain  the  cause,  but  every  trial  served  only  to 
show  that  as  great  a  change  had  come  over  the  character  as  over 
the  countenance  of  the  young  house-keeper.  Occasionally  she 
would  rally  and  assume  her  wonted  tranquil  temperament — anon 
she  was  peevish,  petulant,  and  even  bold  to  her  father,  and  haughtv 
to  her  brothers.  None  could  account  for  the  sad  revolution,  and 
after  many  unsuccessful  efforts  to  ascertain  the  cause,  the  at 
tempt  was  relinquished  in  despair. 

But  an  incident  occurred  which  was  more  unaccountable  still. 


8  TRAGIC    SCENES* 

One  beautiful  moonlight  evening  after  tea,  she  attired  herself  for 
the  purpose  of  paying  a  visit  to  a  friend  who  resided  a  short  dis 
tance  off,  The  clock  struck  ten,  eleven^  twelve,  and  she  returned 
not.  ******  * 


CHAPTER  II. 

OFF   FOR    CALIFORKlA-^-PERFIDY    OF     MOSSMAN — A    DENOUEMENT. 

The  .ship  Hindoo,  for  California,  having  cleared  at  the  Custom 
house  the  previous  day,  was  seen  majestically  passing  through  the 
Narrows,  in  tow  of  a  steamer,  on  the  6th  August,  184V.  She 
had  not  many  passengers  on  board — a  few  in  the  saloon,  and  a 
young  gentleman  and  his  sister  in  the  cabin.  The  lady  had  been 
indisposed  for  some  time  previous  to  her  going  on  board,  and  had 
kept  below.  Such  attendance  as  could  be  given  her  was  rendered 
by  the  young  gentleman,  and  the  second  day  she  was  able  to  come 
on  deck)  leaning  on  his  arm.  On  the  succeeding  day  she  was 
able  to  endure  a  little  exercise  by  walking ;  and  once  while  cross 
ing  the  deck  to  look  over  the  poop  to  the  lower  deck,  her  eyes 
caught  the  words  "  San  Francisco  !"  marked  in  large  characters 
on  a  tarpaulin,  which  some  of  the  forward  hands  were  preparing 
to  stow  away  in  the  sail  bunk.  She  started — gazed  again — and 
then  turned  a  piercing  scrutiny  on  Mossman — for  it  was  he.  He 
understood  what  she  meant,  and  requested  she  would  return  with 
him  to  the  cabin,  where  he  wrould  explain  all.  The  instant  they 
had  reached  the  saloon,  Amelia  spasmodically  grasping  Moss- 
man's  arm,  demanded  information  of  the  vessel's  destination,  as 
suring  him  that  if  to  any  other  port  than  New  Orleans — and  she 
strongly  suspected  she  was  on  board  a  ship  for  California — she 
would  forthwith  inform  the  Captain  of  her  position,  and  place 
herself  at  once  under  his  protection.  Her  countenance  bespoke 
the  most  indignant  feelings  ;  her  eyes,  always  piercing,  flashed 
with  redoubled  intensity — and  her  whole  mien  indicated  that  noth* 
m  short  of  a  thorough  scrutiny  of  his  inmost  thoughts  would 


TRAGIC    SCENES,  9 

satisfy  her.  Mossman  quailed  for  a  moment,  but  promptly  re 
gaining  his  self-possession,  he  attempted  to  account  for  his  con 
duct  by  asserting  that,  from  letters  he  had  received  from  New 
Orleans,  Frank  Richards  had  been  unfaithful,  and  was  about  to 
be  united  to  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  planter  in  Louisiana.  He 
told  Amelia  he  was  well  aware  of  her  devoted  attachment  to  Frank, 
and  that,  if  he  had  ventured  to  tell  her  the  truth  at  the  first,  she 
•would  not  have  believed  him — and  cherishing  an  ardent  affection 
for  her  himself,  he  believed,  he  said,  that  by  inducing  her  osten 
sibly  to  leave  her  father's  home,  and  go  under  his  protection  to 
find  her  lover  in  New  Orleans,  was  the  most  prudent  scheme  he 
could  adopt  to  prevent  her  from  suffering  that  agony  she  other 
wise  would  on  learning  Frank's  inconstancy.  He  acknowledged 
that  the  letter,  on  the  faith  of  which  she  had  so  precipitately  acted 
was  a  forgery,  to  induce  her  to  take  the  step  he  so  ardently  de 
sired  ;  and  that  her  indisposition  during  the  journey  to  the  City 
of  New  York,  enabled  him  the  more  readily  to  carry  out  the  latter 
part  of  his  scheme— to  take  her  with  him  to  San  Francisco,  and 
there  to  induce  her,  by  his  .devoted  attachment,  to  become  his 
wife,  "  And/'  he  added,  "  I  have  long  attempted  to  subdue  the 
love  that  burned  in  my  bosom  for  you,  but  without  success ;  and 
had  no  very  sanguine  hope  of  finding  an  opportunity  for  unburthen- 
ing  my  soul  to  you,  until,  on  receipt  of  the  letter  from  a  friend  in 
New  Orleans,  whom  I  had  requested  to  exercise  a  little  surveillance 
over  Frank,  in  which  he  wrote  me  suggesting  the  fabrication  of 
the  report  of  the  transfer  of  his  affections  to  another.  Oh,  then, 
dearest  Amelia,  forgive  this  duplicity,  and  deign  to  look  with  be- 
riignancy  on  one  whose  life  shall  henceforth  be  devoted  to  thy  ser 
vice,  and  whose  every  aim  shall  be  to  deserve  the  confidence  you 
may  repose  in  him." 

During  this  explanation,  which  was  by  no  means  satisfactory  to 
Amelia,  she  stood  silent  and  motionless.  And  when  Mossman 
paused,  the  rose-tints  fled  from  her  cheeks,  her  lips  quivered,  and 
ehe  cast  her  eyes  to  the  deck.  She  speedily  regained  her  wonted 
composure  ;  and  after  the  lapse  of  some  seconds — during  which 
Mossman  was  silent,  waiting  in  anxious  suspense  for  the  fiat 
which  should  seal  his  happiness  or  misery — she  with  a  constrained 
calmness  said,  "  And  pray,  sir,  bavin?  voluntarily  admitted  yonr 


10  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

dupli.city  in  reference  to  one  letter,  how  can  you  expect  me  to  be 
lieve  that  every  thing  you  have  communicated  derogatory  to  my 
dear  Frank,  is  anything  else  than  a  base  liel"  Mossmaii  in 
stantly  inferred  from  this  question,  that  the  chances  were  turning 
hard  against  him.  He  would  have  spoken ,  but  Amelia  raising 
her  hand  motioned  him  to  be  silent.  She  proceeded — "  Mr. 
Mossman,  I  cannot  trust  myself  to  say  how  I  estimate  your  trea 
cherous  conduct.  My  procedure  has  been  undutiful  in  hurrying 
stealthily  from  the  home  of  my  beloved  father  and  brothers — their 
feelings  at  my  unaccountable  disappearance  may  be  more  easily 
imagined  than  described.  Still,  that  affection  which  has  taken  deep 
root  in  my  bosom — and  which  I  shall  cherish  for  Mr.  Richards  so 
long  as  I  live — is,  I  believe,  sufficiently  palliating ;  for  had  my 
friends  been  able  to  appreciate  his  excellencies  as  I  did,  they 
should  not  now  have  to  lament  me  a  renegade,  nor  I  to  deplore 
the  necessity  of  submitting  to  endure  the  presence  of  one  who 
has,  by  his  own  admission,  forfeited  all  claims  to  credence.  I 
have  therefore  only  to  say,  that  I  shall  forthwith  put  myself  un 
der  the  care  of  the  Master  of  the  ship,  and  hope  to  be  favored 
with  your  company  as  seldom  as  possible."  Before  Mossman 
had  time  to  utter  a  syllable,  Amelia  stepped  past  him,  and  hur 
rying  on  deck,  proceeded  in  quest  of  the  Captain. 

Captain  C was  as  good  a  seaman  as  ever  commanded  a 

ship,  had  been  several  voyages  to  China  and  the  East  Indies,  and 
had  taken  his  vessel  not  seldom  round  the  stormy  Cape  of  South 
America.  He  was  a  seaman  every  inch  of  him — a  native  of  New 
England  too,  and,  as  an  Irishman  would  say,  "  mighty  polite  to 
the  ladies."  On  the  present  occasion,  however,  he  could  not  pay 
immediate  attention  to  the  request  of  Amelia,  that  he  would  speak 
with  her  for  a  few  minutes  ;  for,  as  he  used  to  say,  "  we  sailors 
must  be  wide  awake  for  all  weathers  ;"  and  appearances  now  in 
dicated  that  the  sudden  gusts  of  wind,  which  were  blowing  from 
the  south-west,  would  soon  burst  out  a  regular  gale,  and  against 
which  he  had  to  prepare  himself.  He  examined  the  barometer — 
gave  directions  to  the  man  at  the  wheel — sent  some  forward-hands 
aloft  to  make  all  snug  for  a  "  blow" — told  the  mate  to  send  him 
notice  if  the  wind  shifted — and  then  turned  to  listen  to  Mis* 
Sherwood. 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  11 

There  was  a  sadness  in  her  countenance  that  strikingly  con 
trasted  with  the  frank  smile  of  the  Master.  "  At  your  service, 
now,  Miss  Sherwood,"  said  he  gaily ;  and  putting  her  arm  withia 
his,  escorted  her  below.  In  as  few  words  as  possible,  Amelia 
made  him  acquainted  with  all  the  particulars  of  her  strange  posi 
tion — made  an  unreserved  disclosure  of  the  circumstances  con 
nected  with  her  leaving  her  father's  house,  in  the  expectation  that 
Mossman  would  accompany  her  to  New  Orleans  to  find  Frank- 
Richards  ;  but  on  ascertaining  that  she  had  been  deceived,  she 
had  concluded,  she  said,  patiently  to  abide  the  consequences  of 
her  rashness,  in  putting  herself  so  incautiously  in  the  power  of 
any  designing  person  ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  to  claim  his  special 
protection,  during  the  long  voyage  on  which  she  had  so  unwit 
tingly  embarked.  She  suggested  that,  if  opportunity  offered,  he 
should  give  her  the  chance  of  returning  by  some  homeward-bound 
ship,  if  they  should  be  fortunate  enough  to  fall  in  with  one. 
Captain  C listened  attentively  during  the  recital,  and  as 
sured  Amelia  that  he  should  consider  it  his  duty  to  devote  as 
much  of  his  attention  to  her  comfort  as  he  possibly  could.  And 
especially  that,  having  claimed  his  protection,  she  might  rely  on 
his  seeing  that  she  was  in  no  way  subjected  to  rudeness  or  an 
noyance  from  any  one  on  board.  He  suggested  that  she  should 
retire  to  her  berth  and  rest  a  little,  so  that  she  might  not  suffer 
from  the  excitement  into  which  she  had  been  so  suddenly  thrown, 
while  in  the  interim  he  would  confer  with  Mr.  Mossman.  And 
Amelia  complied  with  his  advice. 

For  some  time  after  Miss  Sherwood  retired,  Captain  C sat 

musing  on  the  strange  recital  to  which  he  had  just  listened.  He 
conned  over  all  the  particulars  in  his  mind,  and  weighed  every 
statement — and  found  that  Amelia's  narrative  had  all  the  sem 
blance  of  truth  about  it — not  a  single  iota  conflicting  throughout, 
the  entire  story.  The  only  circumstance  that  for  a  moment  ap 
peared  doubtful,  was  her  setting  out  to  join  her  lover  in  such  a 
distant  part  of  the  country  without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of 
her  friends ;  to  travel  so  many  hundred  miles  from  "  the  spot 
where  she  was  born."  But  the  difficulty  was,  to  ascertain  which 
of  the  statements  he  had  heard  was  true  !  for  Mossman  had,  ou 
ging  his  passage,  shortly  previous  to  the  sailing  of  the  Hin 


12  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

doo,  stated  to  the  Captain  that  his  sister  would  accompany  him  it 
San  Francisco,  and  mentioned  that,  having  had  a  severe  attack  of 
malignant  fever  a  few  months  previous,  she  had  not  recovered 
completely  from  its  effects ;  for  she  was  now  moody  and  dejected, 
and  had  latterly  given  indications  of  an  aberration  of  mind,  which 
rendered  it  necessary  that  she  should  not  be  left  alone,  but  be 
always  under  the  eye  of  some  one  who  would  see  that  she  took  no 
step  that  would  bring  her  into  danger.  He  had  also  said  that, 
during  the  preceding  few  weeks,  she  had  behaved  very  rudely  to 
her  fathers  and  brothers  ;  and  had  even  gone  so  far  as,  during  a 
period  of  dejection,  to  deny  the  relationship  that  existed  betwixt 
them.  Further,  that  the  present  journey  was  undertaken  more 
with  the  view  of  restoring  her  to  health,  than  of  merchandising — 
her  medical  attendant  having  recommended  a  sea-voyage  as  the 
best  means  in  her  case  to  restore  the  Healthy  action  of  her 
system. 


CHAPTER  III. 

STORM   AT   SEA — -TRAGIC    SCENE — THE   HEROINE    IN    TROUBLE. 

Captain  C was  too  shrewd  a  man  to  overlook  the  romantic 

impression  which  this  statement  made  on  him  at  the  time ;  and 
now  that  a  denouement  had  taken  place,  he  resolved  to  cross- 
examine  Mr.  Mossman.  For  that  purpose,  he  desired  the  steward 
to  request  Mossman  to  meet  him  in  his  cabin.  Before  the  mes 
sage  had  time  to  be  delivered,  however,  the  Captain  was  called 
on  deck.  The  first  mate  reported  that  there  had  been  various 
indications  of  a  change  of  weather  since  four  bells — (six  was  now 
striking) — and  now,  it  seemed  as  if  there  would  be  a  lull  but  for 
the  heavy  cloud  coming  up  from  windward.  The  barometer  had 
fallen  a  little,  but  had  not  altered  for  the  last  half-hour.  While 
the  officer  was  proceeding  with  his  detached  statement  of  pro 
gress,  the  Captain  felt  the  breeze  freshen,  and  in  less  than  fifteen 
minutes  be  ordered  the  mate  to  cat"  all  hands.  By  the  time  they 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  13 

got  into  the  rigging,  the  gale  was  up  in  its  utmost  fury,  blowing 
the  canvas  to  rags.  Every  sail  that  could  be  secured  was  taken 
in,  and  the  ship  put  before  the  wind — then,  like  a  maddened  war- 
horse,  she  careered  onward  in  wild  fury.  To  add  to  the  honor 
of  the  scene,  the  thunder  mingled  with  the  fury  of  the  conflict  be 
tween  the  wind  and  sea,  and  the  lightning  flashed  out  in  awful 
vividness.  In  the  short  intervals  between  the  flashes,  the  vessel 
was  shrouded  in  Egyptian  darkness,  the  clouds  appearing  to  lock 
old  Ocean  in  their  furious  embrace.  Amid  all  this  war  of  ele 
ments,  Captain  C stood  in  the  door  of  the  wheel-house  watch 
ing  the  steering  of  the  vessel ;  and,  alternately  casting  his  eye  to 
the  barometer  and  the  compass,  gave  out  such  necessary  directions 
through  his  speaking-trumpet  as  were  practicable  in  the  wild 
revel  He  ^ras  calm  and  collected ;  and  his  fortitude  inspired 
the  seamen  with  courage  equal  to  the  emergency.  "  Mr.  Corn- 
hill,"  said  he  to  his  mate,  "  how  many  knots  have  we  made  since 
six  bells  I"  "  About  fifteen,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  "  At  Jhat 
rate,"  rejoined  the  Captain,  "  we  shall  be  making  twenty  miles 
an  hour ;  and  if  this  "gale  last  long,  we  shall  make  Cuba  sooner 
than  I  have  a  mind  to;  Send  another  man  aft  here  to  the  wheel 
— I  believe  the  Hindoo  will  be  in  trouble  before  midnight." 
"  Aye,  aye,  sir,"  was  the  answer ;  and  in  less  than  ten  seconds 
the  gallant  ship  was  holding  her  head  closer  to  the  wind ;  but  the 
effort  to  do  this  caused  her  to  pitch  and  roll  most  fearfully.  Still 
she  held  on ;  and  though  the  thunders  pealed  in  deafening  vol 
leys,  and  the  lightnings  flashed  with  dazzling  brightness,  Captain 

C was  hopeful  she  would  be  able  to  keep  on  until  the  storm 

slackened.  Another  half -hour  elapsed — and  no  change  had  oc 
curred  ;  the  storm  raged  with  merciless  fury,  and  seemed  resolved 
to  swallow  up  the  devoted  vessel,  whose  creaking  timbers  fore 
bodingly  anticipated  her  being  engulfed  in  the  dreadful  gale.  By 
keeping  her  so  much  to  windward,  the  vessel  was  working  hea 
vily  ;  and  the  groaning  of  her  timbers,  clanking  of  chains,  and 
crashing  of  booms,  the  lashings  of  which  had  slackened,  created  a 
gloomy  prestige  of  approaching  destruction.  At  this  juncture, 
one  of  the  rudder-chains  snapped,  and  the  vessel,  yawing  from 
her  course,  lurched  into  the  trough  of  the  sea ;  the  waves  making 
a  complete  breach  over  her.  "  Ship  the  tiller,"  shouted  the  Cap- 


14  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

tain,  who  saw  in  an  instant  what  had  happened.  "  Look  out,  fore 
a  ad  aft !"  he  next  vociferated,  but  before  the  accustomed  "Aye, 
aye,  sir !"  was  responded,  the  tri-sail  boom  came  down  with  a 
tremendous  crash,  shattered  the  binnacle,  and  broke  clear  through 
the  deck  into  the  cabin,  carrying  destruction  in  its  course.  A 
piercing  cry,  followed  by  a  hollow  moan,  was  heard ;  and  then 
ail  else  was  forgotten  but  the  clearing  of  the  wreck.  In  as  short 
a,  space  as  could  be  expected,  matters  were  got  into  ship-shape  ; 
and  again  the  Hindoo  "  walked  the  waters,"  not  merely  u  like  a 
thing  of  life,"  but,  Ajax-like,  in  the  aspect  of  proud  defiance  of 
the'  elements.  Attention  had  now  to  be  given  to  matters  in  the 
cabin.  The  scene  here  was  one  of  inextricable  confusion — broken 
timbers,  shattered  tables,  sofas,  and  other  furniture,  were  hud 
dled  into  one  mass  against  the  door  of  the  ladies'  cabin ;  and  right 
below  the  place  where  the  disaster  occurred,  under  the  extremity 
<  >f  the  heavy  boom  that  had  committed  the  havoc,  lay  Mossman 
in  the  arms  of  death.  The  unfortunate  man  was  supposed  to 
1  iavc  been  reclining  on  the  sofa,  and,  at  the  time  the  ship  got  out 
from  the  control  of  the  rudder,  and  reeled  from  her  course,  that 
the  cabin  furniture  had  suddenly  shifted,  bringing  him  beneath 
the  place  at  the  instant  the  disaster  happened,  in  consequence  of 
which  he  met  a  violent  death.  The  shattered  mass  was  speedily 
cleared  away,  and  an  entrance  effected  to  the  inner  cabin — where 
Amelia  was  found  in  a  swoon  on  the  floor,  with  a  gash  in  one  of 
her  temples,  from  coming  in  contact,  no  doubt,  with  some  part  of 
t-!ie  furniture.  She  was  removed  and  laid  in  a  berth  ;  her  head 
was  bathed  with  Bay-water,  and  Riga  balsam  applied  .to  the 
wound.  She  began  slowly  to  recover,  and  the  Captain  left  the 
cabin,  other  matters  requiring  his  instant  attention.  He  again 
hurried  on  deck,  but  was  gratified  to  find  the  gale  had  consider 
ably  lulled  ;  and,  moreover,  a  change  in  the  barometer  induce! 
him  to  anticipate  its  speedy  cessation.-  Nor  was  he  disappointed 
For  the  wind  shifted  shortly  after,  and  before  long  the  storm 
abated.  It  was  now  near  midnight,  and  all  hands  had  spent 
what  of  the  night  had  gone  in  deep  anxiety  and  incessant  bodily 
toil.  Still,  they  were  ready  for  effort,  if  necessity  had  existed 
tor  it;  and,  as  before,  they  would  have  shown  the  Captain  that 
whatever  they  did.  especially  in  such  emergencies,  was  "with  a 


T.RAG1C    SCENES.  15 

will."     Captain  C now  called  the  steward,  and  told  him  to 

go  to  the  saloon,  and  request  the  wife  of  one  of  the  passengers  to 
render  assistance  to  Miss  Sherwood.  There  were  two  'female 
passengers  there — a  mother  and  her  daughter ; — the  latter  was 
more  dead  than  alive  from  fright,  but  the  former  had  never  lost 
her  self-possession  for  a  moment.  Before  embarking  in  his  ves 
sel,  she  had  been  acquainted  with  the  Captain,  and  besides  heard 
him  eulogized  as  one  of  the  most  active,  energetic,  and  sober  mas 
ters  that  sailed  from  New  York ;  and  in  conversation  had  heard 
it  said,  that  if  there  were  but  one  who  could  bring  a  vessel  safe 

home  through  all  weathers,  Captain  C was  that  one.     She. 

therefore,  believed  that  no  human  effort  would  fail  to  be  exerted, 
t'j  weather  the  gale,  and  the  result  proved  her  confidence  not  to 
be  misplaced.  On  the  Captain's  request  being  made  known  to 
her,  she  at  once  consented  to  give  what  time  she  could  spare  to 
attend  to  the  necessities  of  Miss  Sherwood.  She  straightway 
proceeded  to  the  cabin — assisted  Amelia  to  undress — paid  such 
attention  to  the  wound  as  was  requisite — found  it  to  be  not  dan 
gerous,  and,  ere  long,  was  able  to  leave  her  in  a  refreshing  slum 
ber.  Meantime,  the  storm  having  entirely  ceased,  the  Hindoo 
was  again  put  in  good  sailing  trim,  the  clouds  had  cleared  away, 
and  amid  the  beauties  of  a  serene  southern  night-sky,  the  gallant 
vessel  sped  on  her  course,  * 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AMELIA'S  LOVER  AT  NEW  ORLEANS — DESPONDENCY — TRAVELING 

• 

PARTY. 

On  reaching  New  Orleans,  Frank  Richards  entered  with  zeal 
and  alacrity  on  the  duties  of  his  situation ;  his  employers  wcro 
pleased  with  the  attention  he  manifested  to  whatever  was  intrust 
ed  to  him,  and  before  three  months  had  elapsed,  he  had  evinced 
a  talent  for  business,  and  developed  an  energy  in  grappling  with 
commercial  difficulties,  that  convinced  them  Frank  would  soon  at 
tain  to  a  high  position  as  a  business  man.  He  wrote  regularly 


16  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

to  his  father,  informing  him  of  the  progress  he  w*s  making.  He 
also  wrote  frequently  to  Mossman,  and  enclosed  letters  to  him  to 
be  delivered  to  Amelia.  She  only  received  one  or  two,  however, 
the  remainder  being  withheld  by  Mossman  for  an  object  with 
which  the  reader  has  already  been  made  acquainted.  Frank, 
nevertheless,  received  such  cold  replies  to  his  fervid  epistles,  that 
he  was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  account  for  their  purport.  He  never 
for  a  moment  suspected  the  fidelity  of  his  friend  ;  but  supposed 
that,  now  that  he  was  absent,  Amelia's  father  and  brothers  had 
regained  their  lost  influence,  and,  profiting  by  that  circumstance 
to  the  utmost,  had  ultimately  succeeded  in  alienating  her  affec 
tions  from  him.  In  consequence,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  refrain, 
a  t  least  for  a  time,  from  writing  to  her,  but  secretly  resolved  that 
whatever  would  be  the  consequence  he  would  live  and  die  solely 
for  her.  The  last  letter  he  wrote  to  her  was  the  one  on  which 
Mossman  founded  the  scheme  which  he  commenced  to  carry  into 
effect ;  but  in  the  prosecution  of  which  he  was  so  suddenly  called 
from  this  sublunary  scene.  Frank's  peace  of  mind  was  sacrificed 
by  the  treachery  of  him  in  whom  he  had  placed  so  much  confi 
dence  :  still,  he  labored  on,  hoping  (though  apparently  against 
hope)  that  the  lapse  of  time  would  so  change  the  current  of 
events,  as  to  enable  him  once  more  to  quaff  a  brimful  cup  of 
earthly  bliss.  In  course  of  his  career  as  book-keeper,  many 
opportunities  occurred  of  testing  his  probity,  and  at  length  so  as 
sured  were  his  employers  of  his  ability  and  trustworthiness,  that 
he  was  deputed  by  them  to  conduct  their  trading  business  at  Gal- 
veston  in  Texas,  which  consisted  in  trafficking  at  the  towns  on  th^ 
Rio  Brazos.  This  department  was  managed  with  Frank's  usual 
adroitness.  He  established  profitable  trading  agencies  at  various 
points,  until  at  length  th^e  business  was  so  much  increased,  as  to 
require  the  presence  of  one  of  the  firm  at  Galveston,  which  was 
in  future  to  be  the  headquarters  of  their  greatly  enlarged  sphere 
of  operations.  Frank  by  his  meritorious  behavior  was  now  ^ele- 
vated  to  a  more  lucrative  situation  in  the  concern,  and  all  went 
prosperously.  But  now  and  again,  the  feeling  of  loneliness  came 
over  our  merchant  in  embryo — his  heart-strings,  though  not  snapt 
asunder,  had  been  cruelly  tampered  with ;  and  lie  never  reflected 
m  ^e  fair  one  whom  he  had  left  behind  him  in  the  Empire  State, 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  17 

without  experiencing  feelings  that  in  a  great  meafure  constrained 
him  to  resolve  to  sacrifice  his  prospects  and  return  home.  His 
father  did  all  in  his  power  to  prevent  him  from  taking  such  a  step  . 
— pointing  out  the  folly  of  throwing  away  such  expectations  as  he 
had  for  soon  realizing  a  handsome  income.  These  entreaties 
seemed  to  have  the  desired  effect.  Frank  consented  to  remain 
where  he  was  ;  but  his  friends  little  knew  the  cause  of  what  they 
deemed  his  fickleness — they  knew  not  of  the  arrow,  whose  poi 
soned  barb  rankled  deep  in  his  bosom — they  saw  not  the  iron  that 
had  entered  into  his  soul !  And  Frank  made  no  explanation. 
He,  however,  yielded  in  the  meantime  to  their  entreaties  ;  but  se 
cretly  resolved  that,  as  the  position  he  at  present  occupied  afford 
ed  him  more  time  for  reflection  than  he  desired — especially  as  his 
thoughts  continually  reverted  at  such  periods  to  the  hours  spent 
in  sweet  converse  with  Amelia — he  would  change  his  occupation 
for  one  embracing  more  physical  exercise  and  mental  activity. 

Young  Richards  had  not  long  to  wait  for  such  an  opportunity 
avS  he  ardently  longed  for.  The  managing  partner  of  the  firm  at 
New  Orleans  was  suddenly  attacked  with  yellow  fever,  and  as 
Frank  had  once  mentioned  in  his  correspondence  that  he  felt  in 
clined  for  a  change  of  occupation,  he  acceded  to  an  arrangement 
which  brought  him  to  the  Crescent  City  for  a  short  time,  to  su 
perintend  some  business  for  which  he  was  better  adapted  than 
any  of  the  remaining  partners  at  that  place.  He  was  sent  on  a 
special  mission  to  Mobile ;  and,  having  performed  its  duties  in 
the  most  satisfactory  manner,  was  solicited  to  remain  in  the  New 
Orleans  department  of  the  trade,  as  likely  to  afford  thus  an  occu 
pation  more  active  than  that  at  Galveston,  and  more  in  conso 
nance  with  his  wishes.  This,  however,  he  declined,  and  accepted 
the  invitation  of  a  gentleman  from  Boston,  with  whom  he  had 
been  acquainted  in  Galveston,  who  suggested  that  they  should 
set  out  together  on  a  tour  of  pleasure  :  "  For,"  said  he,  "  Mr. 
Richards,  you  need  a  change  of  scene,  and  greater  activity,  and 
you  will  be  all  the  better  for  spending  a  few  months  in  travel." 
Frank,  therefore,  having  arranged  matters  with  his  companion, 
sailed  up  the  Mississippi ;  and,  after  experiencing  much  that  was 
calculated  to  efface  the  melancholy  that  for  some  time  past  had 
brooded  over  him ;  for  his  friend  led  him  into  many  exciting 
2 


18  TBAGIC   SCENES. 

scenes,  and  to  witness  nuny  stirring  incidents  ;  reached  St 
Louis,  Mo.,  shortly  before  the  first  reports  of  the  golden  disco 
veries  in  California  were  made  known  by  some  Texan  traders. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AMELIA'S  RECOVERY — "LOOK  OUT  FOR  SQUALLS" — PIRATES  IH 
THE  PACIFIC. 

Under  the  gentle  treatment  of  Mrs.  Harper,  her  kind  nurse, 
Amelia  speedily  recovered,  and  in  a  day  or  two  was  so  thoroughly 

recruited  in  strength  as  to  be  able  to  go  on  deck.  Captain  C 

instructed  the  lady  who  had  attended  on  Miss  Sherwood  to  in 
form  her  of  Mossman's  death.  Amelia  felt  shocked  at  the  intel 
ligence  ;  but  rallied  herself  as  much  as  possible,  reasoning  that, 
however  deplorable  was  the  death  of  her  pretended  friend,  she 
would  be  relieved  from  much  misery  and  distressing  reflection  by 
being  entirely  freed — though  so  untimely  for  the  unhappy  man 
himself — from  his  presence. 

Returning  health  brought  back  to  Amelia  all  her  wonted  energy 
of  purpose  ;  and  she  resolved,  now  that  she  had  calm  leisure  to 
reflect  on  her  situation,  to  submit  to  the  circumstances  with  which 
she  was  surrounded  with  all  the  patience  she  could  summon  to  her 

aid.  Captain  C admired  the  decision  of  his  charge — for  as 

such  he  now  especially  viewed  her  ;  and  was  completely  released 
from  the  suspicion— if,  indeed,  he  had  entertained  the  idea — of 
her  being  in  an  unsound  state  of  mind,  as  insinuated  by  Mossman. 
He  proposed  to  her,  that  instead  of  attempting  to  find  an  oppor 
tunity  of  returning  by  some  homeward-bound  ship,  she  should  go 
to  the  port  of  destination  with  him,  and  he  would  have  infinite 
pleasure  in  giving  her  a  passage  back  to  New  York.  On  con 
sidering  the  proposal,  and  consulting  with  her  friend  Mrs.  Har 
per,  who  advised  her  to  accept  the  kind  offer,  she  assented  to  the 
proposal. 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  19 

The  time  passed  rapidly  away,  now  that  there  was  nothing  to 
disturb  or  annoy  the  passengers  of  the  Hindoo.  In  due  time  she 
reached  Rio  Janeiro,  where  fresh  supplies  of  water  being  taken 
on  board,  the  white  canvas  was  again  spread  to  the  favorable 
breeze.  Like  a  sea-gull,  she  darted  over  the  crested  wave,  leav 
ing  ridges  of  foam  in  her  wake.  Next  the  beautiful  constellation 
of  the  Southern  Cross  attracted  attention,  and  soon  the  Straits  of 
Magellan  were  made.  The  wind  blowing  favorable  for  that  pas 
sage,  the  course  was  shaped  so  as  to  go  by  that  route.  Every 
thing  "  went  merry  as  a  marriage-bell,"  and  in  less  than  three 
days  more  the  good  ship  was  in  the  Pacific  trade-winds,  bounding 
merrily  on  her  way  to  California. 

After  a  continued  run  of  prosperous  weather,  Captain  C 

was  beginning  to  calculate  on  reaching  Valparaiso  on  an  early  day, 
when  one  morning  a  ship  showing  the  stars  and  stripes  at  her  gaff 
overhauled  him,  and  signalized  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out,  as  there 
was  a  privateer  cruising  off  and  on  Juan  Fernandez.  Captain 

C was  informed  that  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  the  pirate 

vessel  was  manned  by  a  crew  from  some  of  the  Mexican  ports, 
•among  whom  were  several  deserters  from  the  States  army  and 
navy  ;  and  that  no  mercy  was  shown  to  the  unfortunate  craft  that 
could  not  either  fight  better  or  sail  faster.  She  showed  no  colors 
— had  no  name — was  a  rakish  square-rigged  vessel,  and  an  excel 
lent  sailer.  On  the  receipt  of  this  information,  Captain  C 

called  his  men  aft,  and  stated  to  them  the  facts  as  narrated.  For 
tunately  for  all  hands,  the  skipper  was  a  man  of  indomitable 
courage,  so  was  the  mate,  and  the  boatswain  had  been  a  gunner 
in  the  United  States  navy  during  the  war  of  1812.  A  general 
consultation  was  held,  and  "Never  give  up  !"  was  the  sentiment 

expressed  by  the  entire  party.  Captain  C felt  encouraged 

by  the  firmness  with  which,  in  case  of  need,  he  was  likely  to  l>c 
supported.  A  brace  of  old  brass  six-pounders  were  hauled  up 
from  the  hold ;  several  muskets,  pistols,  cutlasses,  and  hatchet--, 
wrore  brought  to  light  from  what  served  as  a  magazine.  And  then 
the  ammunition,  of  which  there  was  but  an  indifierent  supply,  was 
placed  at  hand  for  service.  All  this  over,  the  skipper  paced  the 
deck  with  as  proud  a  step  as  if  he  carried  the  "  red  fl?  g  at  the 
fore"  in  the  English  navy. 


20  TRAGIC    SCENES. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

BLOODY    CONFLICT PIRATE-SHIP     BLOWN    UP THE     HINDOO    CAP 
TURED AMELIA    SHOOTS   THE    CAPTAIN    OF   THE    CRUISLR,    AND 

SAVES    THE    LIFE    OF    HER   FRIEND. 

Shortly  after  this  the  Hindoo  anchored  at  Valparaiso,  but  had 
received  no  further  intelligence  of  the  pirate.  A  few  days  spent 
ui  renewing  the  water  supplies,  taking  fresh  provisions,  &c.,  and 

again  Captain  C was  making  good  headway.     He  had  not 

forgot  the  caution  about  the  cruiser ;  and  though  he  had  no  wish 
to  come  into  trouble  unnecessarily,  still  he  was  prepared  to  make 
a  stout  resistance.  Three  or  four  days  more  passed,  and  now  it 
was  believed  by  all  that  the  dreaded  danger  was  over.  But  in 
this  they  were  mistaken.  With  one  exception  the  voyage  had 
hitherto  been  a  pleasant  and  prosperous  one,  as  far  as  the  sailing 
qualities  of  the  ship  were  concerned.  The  Hindoo  was  now  to 
pass  through  a  fiery  ordeal.  On  the  tenth  day  after  leaving  Val 
paraiso,  Captain  C and  his  ship's  company  experienced  what 

might  be  called  the  first  dead  calm  since  leaving  Rio.  It  was  not 
of  long  duration,  for  towards  evening  the  usual  indications  be 
tokened  wind  from  the  north-east — not  quite  so  favorable  for  their 
progress  as  was  desirable,  but  rather  than  be  making  "  no  way,'7 
any  movement  was  welcome,  and  as  much  as  could  was  determined  t« 

be  made  of  it.  Before  sundown,  Captain  C was  standing  away 

on  the  starboard  tack  with  a  pleasant  breeze,  when  the  look-out 
man  descried  a  sail  coming  up  on  the  weather  bow.  The  Captain 
instantly  had  his  glass  bearing  on  the  object ;  and  in  an  hour  or 
so,  he  saw  as  much  of  her  as  to  warrant  him  in  believing  that, 
though  she  showed  Mexican  colors,  she  was  the  cruiser  he  hari 
been  cautioned  against.  Very  much  preparation  was  not  needed 
to  be  made,  but  his  hardy  crew  were  summoned,  and  the  Captain's 

opinion  communicated.     C now  determined  to  keep  on  hi* 

course  for  three  hours  longer,  calculating  that  by  standing  out  of 
her  way,  he  might  be  able  to  steer  clear  of  her  altogether  wheu 
»ignt  came  on.  The  stranger  by  this  time  had  shaped  her  coursw 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  21 

HO  as  to  give  unmistakable  evidence  of  wishing  to  overhaul  tha 
Hindoo.  This  she  would  soon  accomplish.  The  females  were, 
therefore,  sent  down  to  the  lower  deck,  and  cautioned  not  to  leave 
it  till  fitting  opportunity  should  arrive.  The  guns  were  manned 
;uid  charged — the  muskets  were  also  loaded  and  placed  conven 
iently  for  use — and  the  cook  was  ordered  to  make  a  strong  char 
coal  fire  in  the  galley,  with  which  to  heat  some  shot  for  the  long 
caiTonades.  The  strange  craft  was  rapidly  nearing,  and  now  the 
crew  of  the  Hindoo,  through  the  twilight,  could  see  that  she  was 
pierced  for  ten  guns,  and  had  at  least  fifty  or  sixty  hands,  who, 
from  their  motions  and  equipments,  seemed  prepared  for  any  kind 
of  reception.  Nothing  daunted — though  he  saw  no  chance  of 

being  able  to  fight  the  pirate  with  his  small  crew — Captain  C 

directed  his  men  to  await  his  orders  for  firing,  as  he  had  not  a 
single  shot  to  spare.  The  pirate  fired  a  gun  conveying  an  order 
to  heave  to ;  and  then  hauled  down  the  colors  under  which  she  had 
been  sailing.  This,  of  course,  was  not  attended  to ;  but  in  a  few 
minutes,  a  bright  flash  from  her  bows,  followed  by  a  deafening 
report,  carried  some  heavy  shot  through  the  rigging  of  the  Hindoo, 
and  her  foretop-mast  fell  over  the  side.  Captain  C never 
theless  kept  on  his  course,  having  directed  two  hands  to  clear 
away  the  fallen  rigging ;  but  he  saw  he  had  no  chance  of  succeed 
ing  in  his  manoeuvre,  for  two  boats  had  by  this  time  left  the  cruiser, 
and  were  making  direct  for  the  prize,  determined  to  board  her  at 
once.  There  was  not  a  moment  to  lose.  Captain  C  .  hastily 
divided  his  force  into  two  parties  to  receive  the  boarders.  The 
boatswain  having  thrust  a  red-hot  ball  into  one  of  the  long  guns, 
now  fired  the  first  shot  from  the  Hindoo,  which  was  near  enough 
the  rover  to  hear  distinctly  the  crashing  of  timbers  that  followed. 
In  a  few  seconds  more  was  dispatched  another  of  the  same  kind 
of  compliments,  which  reached  the  magazine,  and  in  a  minute  after, 
the  rover  blew  up  with  a  terrific  explosion,  sending  all  that  had 
been  left  on  board  into  eternity.  Some  burning  timbers  from  the 
exploded  ship  were  driven  through  the  rigging  of  the  Hindoo. 
All  this  was  the  work  of  not  more  than  three  minutes.  When 
the  first  shot  was  delivered  by  the  boatswain,  "  That's  the  talk !'; 
Baid  the  Captain,  "  send  the  second  in  the  same  range,  and  then 
fO"  mtlasses  and  hatahets  to  repel  the  boarders."  In  a  very 


22  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

short  time  after,  one  of  the  pirate's  boats  shot  up  under  the 
inizzen  chains,  and  a  gang  of  the  most  ferocious  looking  despera 
does,  headed  by  the  rover  Captain  himself,  came  yelling  over  the 
bulwarks.  A  sharp  and  well-directed  discharge  of  the  small  arms 
for  an  instant  checked  their  progress ;  but  the  resistance  of  the 
crew  was  against  fearful  odds,  and  they  were  compelled  to  recede 
before  the  superior  numbers  of  the  blood-thirsty  marauders,  now 
rendered  desperate  by  the  loss  of  their  own  ship.  At  the  first 

onset,  Captain  C closed  with  the  leader,  but  was  overpowered, 

aad  fell  bleeding  on  the  deck.  His  gallant  crew  were  obliged  to 
retreat,  and  on  looking  behind  them,  their  horror  was  excited  OH 
discerning  that  their  ship  was  also  on  fire.  The  Hindoo  was  now 
at  the  mercy  of  the  pirates.  Short  but  bloody  had  been  the  con 
flict,  and  the  deck  was  red  with  blood.  During  this  awful  scene 
the  females  on  the  lower  deck  were  in  a  state  bordering  on  dis 
traction.  Amelia,  indeed,  retained  her  consciousness,  but  the 
others  swooned  from  the  agony  they  endured.  The  next  effort 
of  the  pirates  was  to  extinguish  the  flames,  which  was  soon  ac 
complished  ;  and  the  remainder  of  the  crew  of  the  prize  were  put 
in  irons.  The  wreck  was  rapidly  cleared,  and  the  wounded, 
dying,  and  dead,  thrown  indiscriminately  over-board,  except  Cap 
tain  C ,  who  on  being  recognised  was  ordered  U)  be  taken 

below,  and  his  wound  examined.  He  had  only  been  stunned  bv 
the  blow,  the  wound  being  very  slight.  The  cruisers  now  began 
to  examine  the  cargo  of  the  Hindoo.  The  rover's  Captain  having 
taken  possession  of  the  ship's  papers,  said  he  would  spare  Cap 
tain  C 's  life  and  the  lives  of  his  surviving  crew,  if  he  WOU!G. 

sail  the  vessel  under  his  directions.  To  this  Captain  C re 
luctantly  consented,  hoping  thereby  to  have  an  opportunity  of  yei 
rescuing  the  ship  and  bringing  the  pirates  to  justice,  and  there 
fore,  as  directed,  shaped  his  course  for  the  Sandwich  Islands.  H€ 
soon  discovered,  however,  that  the  pirates  were  mutinous  and  dis 
satisfied  with  their  Captain,  and  soon  after  a  proposal  was  made 
to  put  him  in  irons,  which  his  own  crew  volunteered  to  do,  if  Cap 
tain  C would  give  them  the  ship's  long  boat,  their  arms,  some 

ammunition  and  provisions,  and  then  he  might  with  his  vesse-i 
pursue  his  veyage.  After  a  desperate  resistance  the  pirate  Cap. 
tain  was  overpowered,  and  seeing  himself  deserted  by  his  acco-m* 


TKAGIC    SCENES.  23 

ptfces  he  seemed  to  submit.  At  this  moment  the  report  of  a  pis 
tol  was  heard,  and  Amelia,  rushing  up  to  Captain  C ,  dragged 

him  towards  the  bulwarks,  and  thus  he  escaped  the  murderer's 
knife ;  the  rover  made  a  wild  leap  after  him,  but  fell  dead  on 
the  deck.  From  the  cabin  doors  she  had  been  a  witness  of  the 
scene,  and  observing  the  treachery  of  the  rover,  snatched  up  the 
weapon  and  discharged  it  at  the  villain's  head,  and  thus  saved  the 

life  of  her  guardian.     Captain  C immediately  put  the  Hindoo 

about,  and  after  a  rapid  run  anchored  in  San  Francisco  bay. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SAN  FRANCISCO SCENES  AT  THE  MINES FATAL  ENCOUNTER — 

QUARRELS  ABOUT  GOLD HEROIC  CONDUCT  OF  AMELIA SHE 

PREVENTS  BLOODSHED  AT  THE  PERIL  OF  HER  i^IFE. 

The  following  announcement  appeared  in  the  California  Star 
of  December  23d,  1847 :  "  At  San  Francisco  from  New  York, 

the  ship  Hindoo,  Captain  C ,  with  goods  and  merchandise  for 

Clinton  and  Cotrel;  also  several  passengers." 

After  presenting  himself  to  his  agents,  and  receiving  the  high 
est  compliments  for  his  bravery,  Captain  C- 's  first  care  was 

to  procure  as  comfortable  accommodation  for  Miss  Sherwood  as  he 
could  find  in  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  After  several  weeks 
delay,  he  was  beginning  to  make  arrangements  for  his  homeward 
trip,  when  a  discovery  was  made  by  Captain  Sutter,  that  has 
since  done  more  to  revolutionize  the  United  States,  in  a  commer 
cial  point  of  view,  than  could  well  have  been  anticipated.  Every 
one  has  heard  about  the  Gold  Regions :  we  shall  therefore  confine 
ourselves  to  the  narration  of  some  incidents  that  occurred  there. 

When  the  rush  was  made  for  the  "  diggings,"  as  was  to  be 

expected,  almost  all  Captain  C 's  crew  set  off  for  the  mines, 

leaving  only  his  mate  and  the  boatswain.  He  felt  deeply  chagrined 
at  the  delay  to  which  this  would  subject  him ;  nevertheless  he 
consoled  himself  that  his  plight  was  not  worse  than  that  of  some 


24  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

bkippers.  The  news  about  the  gold  continued  to  absorb  the  at 
tention  of  old  and  young,  and  in  a  short  time  the  thriving  city  of 
San  Francisco  looked  like  a  place  that  had  been  visited  by  plague 
or  pestilence.  Even  old  men  started  for  the  mines,  and  females 
too  forsook  their  homes,  and  set  to  gathering  gold.  In  the  month 

of  June,  Captain  C ,  when  paying  a  visit  to  Amelia,  (they  did 

not  reside  at  the  same  house,  though  he  saw  her  every  other  day.) 
stated  his  intention  of  visiting  Sutter's  Fort,  taking  his  mate  and 
boatswain  with  him,  having  become  attached  to  them  on  account 
of  their  valiant  conduct  in  the  encounter  with  the  pirates.  As 
from  previous  business  transactions,  he  could  rely  on  finding  ac 
commodation  at  the  Fort,  he  inquired  of  Amelia  whether  she 
would  not  wish  to  accompany  him.  There  had  been  rumors  of 
murders,  robberies,  fighting,  and  other  lawless  outbreaks,  but 
these  had  all  taken  place  far  above  the  Fort.  Amelia  agreed  to 
the  proposal,  and  next  morning,  every  thing  being  in  readiness, 
die  party  started  for  Sutter's,  where  they  were  cordially  welcomed. 
On  their  arrival  Captain  Sutter  gave  the  new  comers  all  the  in 
formation  he  possessed  about  the  extent  of  the  mines.  He  also 
narrated  the  particulars  of  a  fatal  encounter,  that  had  on  the  day 
before  taken  place  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  saw-mill,  betwixt  a 
young  Texan  trapper  and  an  English  marine,  the  former  of  whom 
had  arrived  at  "  the  diggings,"  with  an  overland  party  but  a  few 
days  before,  and  who  had  already  secured  the  services  of  a  nu 
merous  company  of  Indians  to  dig  for  them.  The  circumstances 
were  these : — the  entire  crew  of  a  foreign  merchantman  at  anchor 
in  San  Francisco  harbor,  deserted  and  went  up  to  the  mines. 
After  spending  a  few  days  about  the  Fort,  one  of  Sutter's  men 
ascertained  that  they  were  the  perpetrators  of  several  of  the 
most  disgraceful  outrages  that  had  been  reported,  besides  numerous 
acts  of  violence,  and  burglaries  where  they  expected  gold  to  be 
the  reward  of  their  villanies.  In  one  attempt  especially,  they 
had  nearly  succeeded  in  carrying  off  the  proceeds  of  six  weeks' 
hard  labor  by  a  poor  man  and  his  wife.  One  of  the  ruffians  at 
tempted  to  escape  with  two  bags  of  gold  dust,  while  the  others 
essayed  to  fire  the  house  about  the  ears  of  the  inmates ;  but  while 
in  the  act,  a  party  of  Indians  headed  by  a  young  trapper,  arrived 
in  time  to  prevent  the  consummation  of  the  outrage.  Leaving 


TRAGIC    SCENES. 


2o 


JLC  natives  to  execute  summary  justice  on  the  villains  at  the  house, 
the  ranger  started  in  pursuit  of  him  who  ran  off  with  the  treasure. 
Finding  himself  closely  followed  by  the  Texan,  he  threw  down 
the  gold,  and  prepared  to  defend  himself.  For  a  little  while  he 
succeeded  in  parrying  the  attacks  of  the  avenger,  but  finding  his 
strength  failing  under  the  fierce  onsets  to  which  he  was  exposed, 
he  summoned  all  his  energy  for  a  desperate  lounge  to  rid  himself 
of  his  adversary.  The  wary  trapper  turned  the  blow  aside,  and 
with  a  fierce  thrust  ran  the  marine  through  the  body. 

Captain  C now  proposed  to  supply  the  necessary  utensils 

to  his  mate  and  boatswain,  and  let  them  work  at  the  mines,  on 
condition  that  he  should  have  a  third  of  their  united  earnings ; 
this  was  at  once  agreed  to  and  acted  on.  Meanwhile  Amelia  and 
her  guardian  remained  at  the  Fort.  Several  exploring  parties 
that  had  been  sent  out,  returned  with  the  most  surprising  accounts 
of  the  facility  of  procuring  gold,  but  at  the  same  time,  gave  har 
rowing  details  of  the  sufferings  of  those  at  the  diggings  from 
1  mnger  and  other  privations.  Captain  Sutter  made  every  possible 
arrangement  to  alleviate  the  growing  distress  by  sending  provisions 
;uid  clothing  to  the  mines  ;  but  the  distance  of  some  of  the  places 
where  they  were  located,  prevented  him  from  doing  so  much  as  ho 
would  willingly  have  done.  BSSoft  Library 

During  the  succeeding  two  weeks  Amena  and  her  guardian 
made  sundry  short  excursions  among  the  diggers,  affording  relief 
in  many  cases  where  that  was  required,  and  advice  where  such 
was  necessary ;  while  Miss  Sherwood  was  especially  serviceable 
in  conciliating  parties  where  disagreements  had  sprung  up — be 
sides  acting  as  arbiter  in  disputes  arising  from  various  causes. 
Both  were  not  unfrequently  placed  in  most  unenviable  positions 
among  so  much  discordant  material;  but  particularly  so  was 
Amelia  on  one  occasion,  and  in  circumstances,  too,  where  many 
would  have  shrunk  from  interfering,  but  in  which  she  displayed 
great  daring  and  cool  courage.  Two  men  had  a  violent  quarrel 
about  who  should  obtain  possession  of  a  piece  of  gold  belonging 
to  an  Indian,  who  was  neither  inclined  to  dispose  of  it  to  one  ur 
the  other  of  them.  Recriminating  and  threatening  language  was 
uttered  against  each  other,  and  from  words  the  quarrel  came  by 
mutual  consent  to  be  submitted  to  the  arbitration  of  the  bowie- 


2b  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

knife.  Weapons  were  unsheathed  and  brandished — blades  gleamed 
high  in  the  sunlight — when  at  this  critical  juncture  Amelia  ap 
peared,  and  darting  between  them,  with  outstretched  hands,  im 
plored  them  to  desist  and  put  up  their  weapons,  and  by  words  of 
gentle  persuasion,  calmed  their  ruffled  passion,  and  prevented  the 
unnecessary  effusion  of  blood. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ATTACK     BY    BURGLARS TIMELY     ARRIVAL     OF    THE     TRAPPER- 
FRANK   RICHARDS    DISCOVERED   TO   BE  THE    GALLANT   TEXAN- 
CONGRATULATIONS EXPLANATIONS UNION   OF   THE    LOVERS. 

After  another  week  had  been  passed  in  this  way,  Amelia  and 

Captain  C set  out  to  visit  the  rancho  of  a  family  who  had 

made  a  successful  harvest  at  the  mines.  On  arriving  there,  they 
were  invited  to  stay  till  the  next  day,  when  they  would  have  a 
chance  of  getting  company  to  the  Fort— -there  being  several  ex 
ploring  parties  farther  up  in  that  direction,  some  of  whom  gene 
rally  returned  in  the  morning  to  avoid  travelling  in  the  heat  of  the 
day.  At  an  early  hoi*  the  household  retired  to  rest.  Though 
the  inmates  of  the  rancho  had  never  been  disturbed,  it  was  deemed 
prudent  to  be  always  prepared  for  any  emergency  that  might  oc 
cur  ;  and  they  kept  watch  during  the  night,  to  prevent  being 
surprised  and  robbed  by  marauding  parties,  who  traversed  the 
regions  around,  plundering  all  who  were  unable  to  protect  them 
selves.  On  this  evening,  the  father  was  to  take  the  early  watch. 
After  the  family  had  retired  to  rest,  the  Captain  resolved  to  share 
the  duty  of  sentinel.  The  first  hour  or  two  were  spent  in  plea 
sant  converse.  About  midnight,  however,  stealthy  footsteps  were 
heard  in  the  vicinage ;  and  immediately  a  heavy,  but  unsuccessful 
blow  was  struck  at  the  door  to  force  it  open.  The  household 
were  alarmed  ;  the  father  counselled  the  females  to  be  calm,  and 
keep  themselves  concealed  ;  as  for  his  SODS,  they  were  already  up 
and  armed  Captain  C secured  a  rifle  ;  and  the  party,  thus 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  27 

prepared,  awaited  further  attack.  The  burglars  were  much  dis 
concerted  at  their  failure  to  force  an  entrance,  but  soon  repeated 
the  attempt,  in  an  instant  after  which  the  sharp  crack  of  a  rifle 
was  heard,  succeeded  by  a  low  moan — another  ringing  crack  fol 
lowed — and  another — in  quick  succession.  These  were  succeeded 
by  the  hasty  tramp  of  retreating  footsteps.  The  females  in  their 
liiding-place  trembled  with  alarm,  and  the  little  garrison  looked 
for  an  instant  silently  on  each  other.  Before  they  had  time  to 

reconnoitre,  a  low  knock  was  heard  at  the  door.     Captain  C 

inquired  who  was  there  ;  to  which  the  voice,  evidently  that  of  a 
young  man,  promptly  replied,  that  the  assailants  had  retreated, 
leaving  two  of  their  number  dangerously  wounded — that  he  it  was 
who  fired  the  shots — and  that  now,  he  requested  shelter  for  the 
night.  To  prevent  surprise,  the  inmates  arranged  themselves  so 
that  all  the  fire-arms  covered  the  entrance.  The  Captain  then 
opened  the  door,  and  admitted  a  young  man,  clothed  in  the  wild 
accoutrements  of  a  trapper,  armed  with  a  double-barrelled  rifle 
and  revolver.  Seeing  from  his  peaceable  demeanor  that  no  dan 
ger  need  be  apprehended  from  him,  the  fire-arms  were  all  laid 
aside,  and  the  stranger  attended  to.  He  had  been  abroad  with  a 
party  of  natives  exploring  a  tract  of  dry  diggings,  and  late  in  tbe 
afternoon  had  strayed  from  them ;  and  while  wandering  about,  he 
uad  discovered  a  cavity  containing  a  large  quantity  of  gold,  which 
he  intended  to  gather  on  the  following  day.  When  evening  ap 
proached,  he  had  encamped  in  a  spot  from  which  luckily  he  over 
heard  the  plottings  of  the  depredators  who  had  just  been  repulsed, 
and  on  whose  trail  he  had  kept  close  watch  for  the  last  three 
hours,  and  had  come  up  in  time  to  aid  in  driving  off  the  plun 
derers. 

During  this  brief  explanation  on  the  part  of  the  stranger,  there 
was,  at  least,  one  anxious  listener.  His  voice  fell  on  the  ear  of 
Amelia,  like  the  enchanting  tones  of  angelic  harpists — recalling 
to  memory  the  voice  of  one  she  never  could  forget.  She  hurried 
into  the  apartment,  and,  gazing  for  an  instant  in  the  face  of  their 
deliverer,  clasped  both  his  hands  in  hers,  exclaiming,  "  Frank 
Richards — my  own,  my  beloved  Frank  !"  It  was,  indeed,  Frank 
who  had  so  opportunely  arrived  to  their  rescue.  So  rapid  had 
Keen  the  movement  on  the  part  of  Amelia,  that  he  started  back  as 


28  TRAGIC    SCENES. 

if  Jin  apparition  had  appeared  ;  a  second  glance  in  the  face  of  her 
who  thus  so  unceremoniously  addressed  him,  served  to  show  that 
it  was  she  whose  affections  he  had  supposed  lost  to  him.  lie 
clasped  her  to  his  bosom,  ejaculating,  "  Thank  Heaven  !  my  d";:r 
Amelia  is  restored  to  me  !" 

It  is  needless  to  say,  that  the  rest  of  the  party  in  the  ranc/io 
were  as  much  astonished  at  the  scene  enacted  before  them,  as  tin? 
dramatis  persona  themselves  were.  Captain  C ,  as  the  guar 
dian  pro  tempore  of  Amelia,  claimed  the  right  of  speaking  first  on 
the  subject.  He  gave  a  brief,  succinct  account  of  the  circum 
stances  which  placed  Miss  Shenvood  under  his  protection ;  and 
added,  "  He  had  not,  he  believed,  traveled  round  the  world  for 
nothing ;  he  had,  like  a  child  on  the  sea-shore,  been  picking  up 
here  and  there  a  pebble — gazing,  wondering,  admiring  their  va 
rious  characteristics  ;  and,  especially  having  seen  so  many  human 
faces,  and  marked  individual  traits  in  each,  he  thought  he  would 
be  greatly  disappointed,  if  Frank  was  not  worthy  of  the  affec 
tionate  love  of  her,  on  whom  he  almost  looked  as  his  own  child." 

Frank  Richards  next  accounted  for  his  presence  in  California, 
by  stating  that  some  six  months  before,  while  at  St.  Louis,  flying 
reports  reached  him,  through  some  of  the  merchants  with  whom 
he  had  traded,  of  the  gold  discoveries;  and,  still  heart-sick  on 
:iccouht  of  Amelia,  he  became  one  of  the  first  party  overland 
to  the  Sacramento  Valley,  in  the  hope  that  the  excitements 
of  travel  would,  for  a  time  at  least,  dissipate  the  gloom  that 
had  well-nigh  settled  on  his  soul.  He  reached  California  iit 
safety,  and  had  been  connected  with  an  exploring  expedition  for 
dry  diggings,  when  the  circumstances  already  narrated  transpired, 
and  which  identified  him  with  the  young  Texan  trapper,  who  had 
so  signally  distinguished  himself  on  so  many  previous  occasions. 

In  two  weeks  after  this  romantic  re-union  of  the  lovers,  their 
marriage  was  celebrated  at  Sutter's  Fort,  in  presence  of  a  numor- 
uus  company. 


TRAGIC    SCENES. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

/MELIA    PREPARES    FOR   AN   EXPEDITION — AWFUL    PRIVATIONS    Oi' 
AN    EMIGRANT    PARTY CONCLUSION. 

If  this  narrative  were  mere  romance,  the  preceding  chapter 
should  have  ended  our  labors,  simply  adding  that  our  heroine  and  her 
husband  were  now  getting  comfortably  settled  near  the  residence 

of  Captain  Sutter,  and  that  Captain  C was  a  daily  visitor  at 

their  dwelling.  But  there  are  horrors  yet  to  be  told,  more  revolt 
ing  than  any  we  have  here  spoken  of — scenes  so  harrowing  and 
repugnant  even  to  the  most  vitiated,  that  were  the  statements  not 
corroborated  by  the  public  press,  they  would  have  been  withheld 
on  account  of  their  improbability.  The  letters  that  every  dav 
fippear  in  the  public  prints  in  relation  to  similar  catastrophes  sub 
stantiate  all  that  shall  be  recorded — and  none  more  so  than  Colo 
nel  Fremont's  of  the  sufferings  of  his  party ;  and  the  writer  hope* 
that  this  chapter  will  serve  as  a  voice  of  warning  to  such  as  aiv 
bound  for  the  gold  regions  overland. 

But  to  return.  Amelia  (for  so  we  feel  inclined  to  designate  her, 
notwithstanding  her  marriage)  and  Frank,  after  spending  two  or 
three  days  with  their  friends  at  the  Fort,  located  themselves  about 
seven  miles  distant,  in  the  vicinitv  of  the  place  where  the  party 
with  whom  Frank  had  traveled  from  St.  Louis  were  situated ; 
and  ere  long  had  surrounded  themselves  with  many  comfort*, 
considering  the  difficulty  of  procuring  what  is  essential  to  eaw 
and  enjoyment. 

Frank,  in  prosecuting  business  with  his  partners  in  mining,  had 
frequently  to  be  absent  from  his  dwelling  during  the  entire  day ; 
he  goon  found,  however,  that  it  was  more  accordant  with  our 
heroine's  wish  that  he  should  permit  her  to  accompany  him.  Hi* 
objection — that  she  could  not  endure  the  privations  frequently  ii*- 
cident  to  the  miners,  or  be  inclined  to  incur  the  fatigue  and  ex- 
po^ure — was  successfully  overruled  by  her  ;  so,  having  provided 
herself  with  an  attire  adapted  to  the  circumstances  in  which  sh^ 
TUS  likely  to  be  placed,  and  hanging  a  poniard  to  her  girdle,  &ke 


TRAGIC    SCENES. 


was  prepared  to  proceed  with  her  husband  on  his  next  expedition. 
But  this  was  not  to  be  a  search  for  gold. 

Intelligence  having  reached  Sutter-s  from  the  upper  diggings, 
that  an  exploring  party,  after  an  absence  of  several  weeks,  had 
returned  from  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  brought  tidings  that  they 
had  found  the  remains  of  a  man,  and  two  mules,  with  a  quantity 
of  baggage — it  was  at  once  proposed  that  a  party  of  volunteers 
should  be  raised,  to  explore  the  neighborhood  of  the  mountain 
where  the  bodies  were  found,  so  that,  at  least,  the  sad  rites  of 
sepulture  might  be  performed.  To  Frank  Richards  was  given 
the  command  of  a  company  of  twelve,  who  were  to  set  out  with 
supplies  in  case  any  should  be  found  alive.  Amelia  resolved  that 
she  would  also  accompany  the  expedition  ;  and  suitable  arrange 
ments  being  made  for  this  purpose,  the  heroic  adventurers  started 
on  their  mission  of  mercy. 

After  considerable  difficulty  in  ascending  the  Sierra,  the  party 
arrived  at  the  place  where  the  bodies  had  been  first  discovered. 
On  a  consultation  being  held,  it  was  the  opinion  of  all,  that  those 
who  had  perished  here  had  been  sent  in  advance  of  a  party,  and 
that  the  proper  course  would  be  to  push  forward.  After  two  days 
more  of  traveling,  the  exploring  party,  with  Amelia  and  Frank  at 
their  head,  halted  again,  and  resolved  that  they  would  not  be  war 
ranted  in  proceeding  much  further,  as  they  would  thereby  run 
some  risk  of  disaster  to  themselves  ;  ultimately,  however,  another 
day's  travel  was  resolved  on  before  returning.  Before  encamping 
for  the  night,  a  scout  returned,  saying,  he  had  seen  in  the  dis 
tance  what  appeared  to  him  to  be  like  a  thin  wreath  of  sinoke, 
but  he  could  not  positively  determine.  Combustibles  were  there 
fore  set  on  fire,  and  kept  burning  during  the  night,  so  as  to  give 
token  of  the  approach  of  the  party.  Next  morning  showed  that 
the  look-out  man  had  been  correct  in  his  conjecture  ;  and  a  few 
miles  of  further  progress  brought  the  company  into  the  midst  ot 
one  of  the  most  horrible  spectacles  ever  witnessed.  For  the  sa.k<? 
of  brevity,  the  following  account  is  given  in  the  words  of  Amelia, 
in  a  letter  to  her  father  : — 

t\  more  shocking  scene  cannot  be  imagined,  than  that  wit 
nessed  by  our  party  who  went  to  the  relief  of  the  unfortunate 
emigrants  in  the  California  mountains  The  bones  of  those  wUo 


TRAGIC    SCENES.  Si 

had  died  and  been  devoured  by  the  miserable  ones  tbat  still  sur 
vived,  were  lying  around  their  tents  and  cabins..  Bodies  of  men, 
^vomcn,  and  children,  with  half  the  flesh  torn  from  them,  lay  on 
every  side.  A  woman  sat  by  the  side  of  the  body  of  her  hus 
band,  who  had  just  died,  cutting  out  his  tongue — the  heart  she 
had  already  taken  out,, broiled,  and  ate  !  The  daughter  was  seeu 
eating  the  flesh  of  the  lather — the  mother  that  of  her  children — 
children  that  of  father  and  mother.  The  emaciated,  wild  and 
ghastly  appearance  of  the  survivors  added  to  the  horror  of  the 
scene.  Language  cannot  describe  the  awful  change  that  a  few 
weeks  of  dire  suffering  had  wrought  in  the  minds  of  these  wretch 
ed  and  pitiable  beings.  Those,  who  but  one  month  before,  woula 
have  shuddered  and  sickened  at  the  thought  of  eating  human 
flesh,  or  of  killing  their  companions  and  relatives  to  preserve  their 
own  lives,  now  looked  upon  the  opportunity  these  acts  afforded 
them  of  escaping  the  most  dreadful  of  deaths,  as  a  providential 
interference  in  their  behalf.  Calculations  were  coldly  made  as 
they  sat  around  their  gloomy  camp-fires,  for  the  next  and  suc 
ceeding  meals.  Various  expedients  were  devised  to  prevent  the 
dreadful  crime  of  murder,  but  they  finally  resolved  to  kill  those 
who  had  the  least  claims  to  longer  existence.  Just  at  this  mo 
ment,  however,  as  if  by  Divine  interposition,  some  of  them  died, 
which  afforded  the  rest  temporary  relief.  Some  sunk  into  the 
arms  of  death,  cursing  God  for  their  miserable  fate,  while  the  last 
whisperings  of  others  were  prayers  and  songs  of  praise  to  the 
Almighty.  After  the  first  few  deaths,  but  the  one  all-absorbing 
thought  of  individual  self-preservation  prevailed.  The  fountains  of 
natural  affection  were  dried  up.  The  chords  that  once  vibrated 
•with  connubial,  parental  and  filial  affection,  were  rent  asunder, 
and  each  one  seemed  resolved,  without  regard  to  the  fate  of 
others,  to  escape  from  the  impending  calamity.  Even  the  wild, 
hostile  mountain  Indians,  who  once  visited  their  camps,  pitied 
them  ;  and  instead  of  pursuing  the  natural  impulse  of  their  hos 
tile  feelings  to  the  whites,  and  destroying  them,  as  they  could 
easily  have  done,  divided  their  own  scanty  supply  of  food  with 
them.  So  changed  had  the  emigrants  become,  that  when  the 
party  sent  out  arrived  with  food,  some  of  them  cast  it  aside,  and 
Deemed  to  prefer  the  putrid  human  flesh  that  still  remained 


TRAGIC    SCENES. 


Such  were  the  awful  scenes  presented  to  the  succoring  party. 
Our  heroine  exerted  almost  superhuman  energy  in  ministering  te 
the  necessities  of  the  unfortunate  sufferers.  A  tried  man  was 
sent  back  to  the  Fort  for  more  assistance,  which  duly  arrived. 
In  as  short  a  time  as  practicable,  after  the  remains  of  the  others 
vrere  interred,  the  whole  party  commenced  their  return  to  the 
Sacramento,  where  they  arrived  without  accident,  and  where  mea 
sures  of  more  permanent  relief  were  adopted. 

Our  limits  forbid  further  details.  We  shall,  therefore,  only 
say,  that  the  heroism  and  fortitude  displayed  by  Amelia  and  her 
hus-band  on  trying  occasions,  won  for  them  the  approbation  of 
Captain  Sutter,  and  all  who  witnessed  or  heard  of  them. 

It  has  only  to  be  added,  that  Mr.  Sherwood  and  his  sons,  and 
likewise  Mr.  Richards,  sen.,  in  consequence  of  letters  recently 
received,  are  now  busily  preparing  to  emigrate  to  the  golden 
"  land  of  the  West." 


the  Pirates  Boarding  the  Hindoo,  after  the  blowing  up  of  their  own  ship.— See  p.  23 


the  Hindoo  by  the  crew  of  the  Cruiser,— See  r 


D»9p«r»t«  conflict  and  capu 


SP^V    .  *i: 
^'•^V^fcV 

^      '         '  ^fc^  "  ~~^.'**^*&^&      '    .      A-^ 

>"  i!^  ^Ik^S  %i     jlfe,  %i'  '*m^^<*** 


^mjiy^^^^^^m  \{  -;SS 


'/£**£•  i| \\ 

^At^% 


AW  «? 

^!^! 


H 


